Motor-vehicle.



No. 653,224. Patented July lo, loom c. E. nuRYEA.

MOTDB VEHICLE.

(Application filed May 18, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet E 1 gl. l Wi I in,r @mfm M ms sums mens co.PHoTouTHo. wAsmNarnN. n. c.

Patented my lo, |9001.

C. E. DURYEA.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application xed may 1e, 189s.)

3 Sheets-Shogi V2 (No Model.)

Patented .luly I0, |9010..

C. E. DUBYEA.' MTB VEHICLE.

(Application filed May 1B, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Shee 3 WWWWWMEI.

AsmNnroN. uv c "N'iTED STATES.

PATENT i OFFICE,

CHARLES E. DURYEA, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTI'IE DURYEAMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,224, dated July 10,1900.

Application filed May 16, 1898. Serial No. 680,826. (No model.)

T0 ctZZ whom it nto/y concern: 4 1

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. DURYEA, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvem ents inMotor-Vehicles ;V and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it ap'- pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates vmore particularly to the lighter forms ofmotor-vehicles and is shown as embodied in a tricycle having a seatingcapacity for two persons, the same being propelled by aninternal-combustion engine.

The objects of my invention are to provide a cheap, simple, andefficient steering, a compact and durable speed-varying mechanism, amore ready control, an improved brake, a light air-jacketcd engine, acheap and simple 'balance-gear, and such other minor obj ects as mayappear hereinafter in this specification. I attain these objects bymechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in whichl Figure l is a general plan, the seat havingbeen removed. Fig. 2 is an elevation, one wheel and the end of the boxbeing removed. Fig. 3 is a detail of the engine-throttle. Fig. 4 is anelevation ofthe side of the front hub. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionthrough the same looking forward. Figs. 6, '7, and S are sec,- tionalelevation, plans, and detail of the speedvarying mechanism. Figs. 9 andl()l are details of the controlling devices, while Figs. l1 and 12 aredetails ofj the brake and balancegea-r.

Similar letters refer to similarparts throughout the several views.

The forward ends of the frame of the vehicle rest upon the opposite endsof a support a, preferably elastic in a vertical direction,which passesthrough the ring-shaped hub of the front Wheel and is supported thereby.This support a has pivotal bearings d in a ring a2, which serves as aball-race for the hub of the wheel. The hub proper, a4, is a metal ringinto the outer circumference of which spokes are driven,and ball-racerings or cones are screwed .into the innercircumference, completing aAbearin g on the balls of which the wheel rolls.

Guide-arms a3 a3 are -fastened to and project from the ring a2. To theirextremities ropes are attached in any suitable manner, which pass backto and around pulleys o5 a5 to a swivel a6. It is preferred to providetheir ends with like threaded screws and tap same into the ends of saidswivel. This provides a means for both shortening the ropes and alteringthe position of the swivel, so that it may remain in the proper positionto correspond with a given position of the steeringwheel. The swivel a6is pivoted to the lower end of the steering-lever t, which in turn ismounted in bearings b b under the seat. It will readily be seen thatmovement of the steering-lever b will produce a corresponding effect onthe wheel. This wheel is placed well forward, so as to relieve it ofmost of the load and permit it to swing more freely.

The propelling machinery consists,broadly, of an engine withcrank-shaft, a main rear axle with wheels, sprockets on the shaft andaxle, and a chain connecting same. In view of the fact thatinternal-combustion engines do not reverse easily and do :not give muchpower at slow speeds it is advisable to provide some sort ofspeed-varying mechanism whereby the relative number of crank-shaft turnsto each turn of the rear axle may be varied and whereby the direction ofthe rear axle may be changed without stopping the engine. This isaccomplished by means of gears, friction-clutches, andother parts shownin Figs. G, 7, and 8.

The crank-shaft c has a pinion c fixed thereon and meshing into idlersc5 c5, which in turn 'mesh into an internal gear c6, mounted upon andconcentric with the shaft. It is evident that if the internal gear beheld sta-v tionary rotation of the shaft will carry the idlers in thesame direction, but at a slower rate of speed; also, that if the-idler-studs c7 c7 are held stationary the internal gear will be carriedin a direction reversely to the motion of the shaft. Finally, that ifthe idlers and the internal gearare held in a fixed relation to eachother they will all move with the shaft. ternal gear c6 or theidler-studs and frame c7 stationary at willby means of theclutchf`-shoes d/ d, respectively, which shoes )engage Provision is made forholding the in-v IOO the frame f' f under the action of the togglejointsoperated by the collars e e. A sprocketdrum c3 is journaled on the shaftc and encircles the nest of gears. By the shoe d2 the internal gear maybe lockedto the drum c3, and by the shoe cl3 the idler-studs and framec7 may likewise be looked to the drum. Locking both internal gear andidlers to the same piece acts as if locked together, and the result isthat the nest of gears move together without relative motion betweenthemselves, and being locked to the sprocket-drum the sprocket iscarried forward as if it were part of or fixed to the shaft. From thisit will be seen that a slow speed forward results when the clutchesstand as shown in Fig. 7 and that by shifting the collar e so as torelease d and lock d2 a fast speed forward results, while anintermediate position of the collar e leaves both d and d2 released andallows the internal gear to run freely in a reverse direction, whichfree running causes no power to be applied to the sprocket-drum, and thevehicle is to all practical intents free from the engine.

To reverse the motion of the vehicle, the collar e is left in theintermediate position described and the collar e is shifted so as tolock the shoe d to the frame f. The intent of this action is to hold theidler-studs and frame c7 stationary. To this end the supporting-frame d4of the clutch-shoe d engages the idler-stud frame c7. It is evident thatthe clutch-shoe d3 must be released if the `drum c3, which carries thesprocket c4, is to be driven, and, further, that it should be releasedbefore the clutch-shoe d is locked, as otherwise the drum c3 would beheld station- 'ary and movement of the vehicle stopped. To the end,therefore, that the shoe d3 may always be released before the shoedislocked i-t lis arranged that movement toward lockingthe latter releasesthe former. Several 'means of doing this may be used; but the preferredmeans is as shown and consists of a toggle-ring and frame d5, on whichthe toggles of A the shoe d? are pivoted, which frame extends to andis-engaged by the frame or support d" of the shoe d. By reference toFig. Sit will be seen that d4 engages d5 closely and c7 loosely, so thatmotion of d around the common center c in the direction of the arrowwill move @Z5 some distance before affecting c7. From Fig. 6 it will beapparent that this motion of d5 will release the shoe d3 'and compressthe spring d; also,that the said spring d6 will return the parts totheir origi- 1 nal position,with the shoe d3 locked,whenever the shoe dis released and the parts d5 and c7 free to move with respect to eachother. In this description of the reversing action it has been assumedthat'cl'L received motion in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8,whereas, in fact, the crank-shaft c revolves in a direction 4oppositethereto and tends to carry'all parts therewith, inwhichevent thefriction of the shoe d as it begins to lock retards the frame d4 andproduces a relative effect, as described.

It is now evident that holding d4 releases cl3 and holds c7, on whichthe idler-gears are journaled; also, that forward motion of the shaft cwill cause reverse motion of the internal gear ,c6 and that locking theshoe d2 will carry the sprocket-drum cs in the same direction as c6. Itwill also be seen that the collar e need only be shifted when it isdesired to reverse, a fact to which reference will be made later, Whilethe collar e is used to effect all other desired changes of the gearing.The collars are shifted by any suitable means, such as the levers g g.The frames ff are fixed to the vehicle in any suitable manner so as tobe securely held. All of the clutch-shoes are held out of engagementwhen released and are kept in proper parallel position by the springs77, 71, 7L, which hook into their ends, pass through slots in thesupporting-frames, and again attach to opposite shoes. All the togglemembers are adjustable in length,one part being screwed into the otherand having a spring-retainer d8, which insures that the parts remain asplaced till it is desired to change them, when it may be quicklyeffected. One or more openings are provided in the drum c3, so that theadjustment may be made and the parts inspected, although the whole drummay be removed from the shaft c by taking off a single nut. After thedrum is removed the pinion @"may be removed and then all the otherpartsmay be easily removed and separated. The long bearing of c7, with diinside it on the shaft, insures the concentricity of the idlers andfittings, while the same concentric arrangement of c performs the sameoffice for the internal gear.

The toggles controlled by the -sliding'collars do not bear on thecollars, as is common, but, as is shown, pivot one against the other,which relieves the collar from any transverse thrust and insures that itmay `shift freely.

The sprocket c4 is detachably secured to the drum c8 in any preferredmanner, so that it may be quickly detached and another of different sizeattached andthe relative speeds of the engine crank-shaft and the rearaxle varied. This ability to vary this relation is of particularimportance on vehicles usinginternal-combustion engines and in countrieswhere a few minutes rainfall may change the road-bed from a fairly-goodone to one so almost impassable that the variation provided by the gearsis not sufficient. The lever h incloses in its upper end a tube fi,having a small handle or point-er i', an annular groove (internal) i2,and an arm 113. The pointer z" is normally forward, but may be used toturn the tube z' through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees, inwhich case it points backward, the object of the pointer being toindicate the direction in which the vehicle will move if power isapplied and also to serve as a handle for shifting the collar e. Thetube is shown in Fig. 10 with the pointer in forward position, while inFig. 9 the arm/8, link IOO IIO

4, shifter-lever g', and collar e are shown in reverse position, thedotted lines indicating forward position. The shifter g' slides looselyon the spindle j. The pointer t" has a spring or similar retainer whichdrops into a slight notch in the top of the lever Z9 and insures thatthe parts remain in place till some slight force is applied to movethem.

Fitting freely into the tube t' is the controller Zr, which is providedwith a handle Z at its upper end and with a combined rack and pinion mat its lower end. It is capable of two motions-longitudinal and rotary.When moved longitudinally, it serves as a rack to turn the pinion n onthe spindle j. (See Figs'. 9 and 10.) When rotated, it serves as apinion m to operate the rack o, and at all times it is in engagementwith both the rack o and the pinion n. It will be observed that theselatter are in the same horizontal plane as the pivot of the lever b andthat oscillation of the said lever does not affect the rack o nor thepinion n. Rotating the pinion ln rotates its spindle j, which, beingthreaded into the shift-lever g, (see Fig. 9,) carries the collar e tothe point desired. The extremes of this movement may be easily limited;but the intermediate position in which both clutchshoes LZ and (Z2 areout of engagement and the vehicle not driven is not so easilydetermined. To fix this and insure that the vehicle may not be startedby any one accidentally touching the handle, a catch Z is fixed insideof the handle Z and springs into the internal annular groove t2 when inthe intermediate position. A pressure of the finger is :required torelease it from this groove before the controller can be movedlongitudinally again, although there is nothing to prevent it from beingrotated.

The rack 0 controls the throttle of the cngine in any preferred manner,and for the purposes of this description it is connected with a damperor check in the air-supply pipe which feeds the engine. Fig. 3 showsdetails of connection of rack with damper.

In engines of the smaller sizes it is possible to keep the cylinderscool by the use of air circulated. past their walls, which arepreferably corrugated to increase the radiating-surface. I provide alight case p, having an outlet p2, which serves to direct and guide theair past the cylinder-Walls and further turn the exhaust-pipe p into theoutlet of said box in any well-known manner, so as to force thecirculation of air and' increase the cooling effect. The advantages ofthis method are that the'waste energy of the exhaust-gases is used toaccelerate the motion of the air instead of using power direct from theengine in some mechanical manner. Connection may be made with theexhaust-pipe p' directly, as shown in Fig. 2, or a muiiier to deaden theviolence of the exhaust and render it more steady may be used.

While the lighter vehicles may be and usually are made without springs,I have shown the rear ends as mounted on springs q q, and that thespring action may not interfere with the proper working of the chain orother gearing used I connect the rear axle with the engine-shaft (orwith the vehicle-frame in proximity to the en gine-shaft) by adjustablelinks r r, which insure that under the spring action the engine-shaftand the rear axle remain parallel and at an approximately-fixed distancefrom each other. These links r r, being adjustable in length, permit thedistance between the said shaft and axle to be suited to therequirements of the chain or other connection.

It is advisable that the brake be applied to the rear axle in the caseof light rubber-tired vehicles, and that a large brake-surface may behad I so shape the large sprocket r', Fig. 12, that a brake-band maybear against the inner surface of its rim, while the chain runs on theouter surface. This brake-band is held in place by two or moreprojections r3, Figs. 1, 2, and 12, which are carried by one of thelinks r. The band r2, Figs. 2 and 11, is pref`V erably covered withleatherto afford a smooth bearing-surface and is expanded for duty.. bythe toggle-lever r4. (Shown in Fig. 11.) This toggle is adjustable, thepart 115 being swiveled at one end and threaded into a swivel at theother, as shown in small detail near Fig. 11. A rope r6 proceeds thenceto a lever a, near the seat, but not directly thence lest the rise andfall of the body under the spring action should apply or effect theapplication of the braken To prevent this, the rope r6 is carried to apulley rs or similar pivotal point near the engine-shaft or the point towhich the links r are connected. Instead of the rope and pulley othersuitable means,such as push-rods and a bell-crank, could be used;. butin any case it is preferable to have the connection act from a pointnear the center of the arc described by the axle as it rises and fallsover obstacles. A very common method of transmitting the power impartedto the large sprocket farther on to the driving-wheels is by the use ofa balancegear, a device usually consisting of two large bevelgearsfastened more or less directly one to each driving-wheel and one or moresmall bevel-pinions fastened. to the large sprbcketV and meshing withthe large bevels. I have modified this arrangement by providing ajournalor bearing for the large sprocket lr' on and around the axle sbetween the large, bevels. (See Fig. 12.) I further use an axleextending through both driving-wheelsfas-V tened to one (not shown inFig. 12) and. having the other wheel journaled thereon, as shown. Thislatter is fixed to a tube which extends concentric with the axle to alpoint inside the bearing for the spring q, which tube is in reality anextension of the wheeljournalbox, and which further has the other largerbevel fixed on the end thereof. A nut on the end of the axle preventsseparation of the large bevels.A A row of balls takes the end" IIO ferto reduce the end of the axle and the tube journaled thereon to such asize that the rear wheels may be interchanged. This reduction does notaffect the strength,for itis made only near the wheel and the axleremains full size for some distance after it is encircled by the tube. Aball-case or j ou rnal-box t around the tube provides a bearing for thespring q and a pivotal point for the rear end of the link r, which maybe fastened to said bearingin any preferred manner, but is shown assimply screwed loosely thereon. (See Fig.12.)

Most internal-combustion engines are started by applyinga crank to theengine-shaf t and giving the same a few turns to draw in a charge andcompress and lire the same, after which operation is automatic, thecrank being made with a ratchet or other means of allowing the engine torun away from it. While I commonly use such a device for getting theengine originally started, at which times, for Various reasons, theengine may not start promptly, I prefer to use at other times thestarting device shown in Figs. l and 2 at x Qc.

This consists of a cam j ournaled on the crankshaft and provided with aratchet and spring. The ratchet grips the shaft as the cam is rotated inone direction and the spring returns the cam to its original position. Arope is wound around the cam and passes between the pulleys terminatingin a stirrup 502, which hangs just below the frame of the vehicle. Theoperator places his foot in the stirrup and bears down. The largediameter of the cam starts the engine quickly, and as the leg leverageincreases the cam gets smaller and the speed of the engine faster.Usually one stroke will suffice, but should it not another can be made.

I claiml. In a motor-vehicle, a single steeringwheel having a largediameter short-length hub journaled on a steering-head, which is pivotedon a body-support passing through said wheel and head, means forsteering the wheel consisting of arms projecting oppositely sidewisefrom the said head to the extremities of which tensile connectionsareattached.

2. In a motor-vehicle, steering-centers mounted on a springbody-support, a steering-head with sidewise-projecting arms pivoted onsaid centers, a steering-wheel journaled on said head and tensileconnections attached to said arms for controlling the direction of saidwheel.

3. In a motor-vehicle, a controlling-lever having a direction-indicatormounted thereon and connected with reversing-clutches by suitable meansto effect reverse movement of thel vehicle when the pointer is reversed.

4. In a motor-vehicle, a steering-lever pivvconnected by suitable meansto the steeringwheel.

5. In a vehicle, the controlling handle mounted upon a centrally-locatedlever adapted to oscillate crosswise the vehicle for steering purposes,said controlling-handle being likewise capable of longitudinal androtative movements.

6. .In a vehicle, a controlling-lever pivoted on the front edge of theseat at the middle thereof, projecting downward inside the vehicle-boxand upward between two riders occupying the seat; said lever beingadapted to swing sidewise for steering purposes and carrying acontrolling-handle adapted to rotate around the longitudinal axisof thelever and move longitudinally thereon.

7. In a vehicle,'a controlling-lever pivoted on the front edge of theseat at the middle thereof, projecting down and inside the vehicle-boxand upward between two riders occu pyin g the seat; said lever beingadapted to swing sidewise for steering purposes.

8. In a motor-vehicle, a motor having its driving-shaft'crosswse thevehicle with means for applying a starting-crank to either end thereof,and starting mechanism having its controlling-lever arrangedsubstantially midway between the ends of said driving-shaft,

, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a motorvehicle, a speed changingl mechanism consisting of a pinionaffixed to the motor-shaft, a ring-gear encircling same,

idlers meshing into and between said pinion and ring-gear, asprocket-drum inclosing the whole and friction-clutches adapted toengage said sprocket-drum and lock it to the idlerframe and thering-gear.

l0. In a motor-vehicle, a speed-changing mechanism consisting of amotor-pinion, a ring-gear, one or more idlers meshing between and intosaid pinion and gear, necessary framework forl maintaining said idlersand gear concentric with the motor-pinion and friction-clutches adaptedto engage a sprocketdrum and iix it immovable as regards either theidler-frame or the rin g-gear frame, or both, at will. y

11. In a motor-vehicle, a'speedfchanging mechanism consisting of amotor-pinion, a

yring-gear, one or more idlers meshing between and into said pinion andgear, necessary framework for maintaining said idlers and gearconcentric with the motor-pinion, and one or more friction-clutchescarried by the ring-gear frame and adapted to engage at will thesprocket-drum or a fixed frame.

12. In a motor-vehicle, a speed-changing mechanism consisting of amotor-pinion, a

ring-gear, idlers meshing into and between said ring-gear and pinion, anidler-frame carrying journals for said idlers, and frictionclutches forengaging a sprocket-drum; said idler-frame being engaged by aclutch-frame IIO adapted in turn to engage a fixed frame and hold theidler-frame stationary.

13. Inra motor-vehicle, a motor-pinion, ringmitting wheel, mounted upona drum adapted to be engaged by friction-clutches.

l5. In a motor-Vehicle a balance-gearing consisting of a sprocket-Wheel,driving-pinions mounted on a frame concentric With the driving-axle andattached to the drivingsprocket, drivinggears fixed one to a fulllengthaxle and the other to a sleeve telescoping over one end of said axle incombination with a vehicle-Wheel mounted on said sleeve, said Wheelbeing maintained on said sleeve and said sleeve on said axle by a singlenut on the projecting axle end.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

CHARLES E. DURYEA.

Vitnesses:

W. H. SGHEURMAN, F. H. BOHANAN.

